Partial collapse of Morandi Bridge in Italy, 2018

Bridges are essential components of road transportation and play a crucial role in connecting communities and enabling commerce. Across Europe and the United States of America, many highway bridges are close to the end of their design lives, making their structural integrity increasingly important. Tragically, this criticality was illustrated in 2018 when the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy, collapsed, killing 43 people. The disaster was traced back to corrosion of steel strands in one of the pylons, likely caused by a highly saline environment and nearby industrial pollution. The collapse also directed attention to the state of other bridges in Europe, with several studies finding that many more structures require immediate repair or replacement due to corrosion and structural deterioration. The importance of maintaining the safety and stability of bridges cannot be overstated, as their collapse not only endangers lives, but also has severe economic implications.

Sources:

• La Storia del Ponte Morandi: Un tempo avveniristico, ma non mancavano criticità. (2018, August 14). Retrieved February 23, 2023.
• Willsher, K., Tondo, L., Henley, J. (16 August 2018). "Bridges across Europe are in a dangerous state, warn experts". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
• BBC. (2018, August 14). Italy Bridge: Dozens feared dead in Genoa as motorway collapses. BBC News. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
• Expert reaction to Genoa Motorway Bridge collapse. Science Media Centre. (2018, August 14). Retrieved February 13, 2023.
• Fumagalli, M. (2021, November 30). The corrosion of the Morandi bridge: The story of a predictable collapse? IPCM. Retrieved December 26, 2022.